Tarrnie Williams
Tryon "Tarrnie" M. Williams | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 11, 1940 Montreal, Canada |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, business executive, adjunct professor |
| Known for | Founder of Sydney Development Corporation; President and CEO of Distinctive Software Inc. and Electronic Arts (Canada) Inc.; co-founder of Proteus Bio-Research Corporation and YM BioSciences; Executive Chairman of Kidoz Inc. |
Tryon "Tarrnie" M. Williams (born November 11, 1940) is a Canadian entrepreneur recognized for founding Sydney Development Corporation (SDC) in 1978, which holds the distinction of being Canada's inaugural publicly traded software firm. Between 1987 and 1991, he held the position of President and CEO at Distinctive Software Inc., prior to its acquisition by Electronic Arts (EA). Post-acquisition, Williams assumed the role of President and CEO at Electronic Arts (Canada) Inc..
Biography
Williams was born in Montreal and completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics at the University of Alberta in 1963, following earlier studies in mechanical engineering at McGill University. His professional journey commenced at Standard Life Insurance Corporation, after which he transitioned into the mutual fund sector.
In 1965, Williams took on the role of Project Manager for communications and computer initiatives at the Canadian Corporation for Expo 67. Subsequently, he dedicated ten years to various roles at IBM in Vancouver, encompassing systems design, sales, management training, and leadership responsibilities.
Williams departed from IBM in 1978 to establish Sydney Development Corporation. The company specialized in online project management tools and business software and became Canada's pioneer microcomputer game developer and publisher. From 1978 to 1983, SDC experienced rapid growth, becoming the fastest expanding public company in Canada and achieving $21 million in revenue by fiscal year 1983.
In the early days of biotechnology, Williams co-founded Proteus Bio-Research Corporation, which focused on creating a monoclonal antibody for AIDS detection. Proteus later merged with Murex to form International Murex, which was eventually acquired by Abbot Laboratories for $234 million.
Returning to software leadership in 1987, Williams managed Distinctive Software alongside Don Mattrick and Paul Lee until its $11 million acquisition by Electronic Arts in 1991. As EA Canada’s President and CEO, he grew the workforce to 125 employees and increased revenues to $31 million CAD by fiscal 1993. Additionally, he served on Electronic Arts’ executive team in California until health concerns prompted his exit in 1993.
For the following ten years, Williams contributed as an adjunct professor at UBC’s Sauder School of Business while advising more than 25 startups across technology and life sciences sectors.
He co-founded YM BioSciences, advancing bioscience innovations including therapies for rare cancers; this company was acquired by Gilead Sciences for $540 million in 2013. During this timeframe, Williams underwent pioneering neurological treatment in Cuba that allowed him to continue his professional endeavors despite battling multiple sclerosis.
Williams also played a foundational role in InMedia Corporation (later known as PNI Digital Media), a digital photography software enterprise that was sold to Staples Inc. for $74 million.
In 2001, he took leadership of Bingo.com as President and CEO until 2011 before becoming Executive Chairman. The online gambling segment of Bingo.com was acquired by Unibet Group for $8 million in 2014. The company was subsequently renamed Shoal Games and listed on the Toronto Venture Stock Exchange. In March 2019, Shoal Games purchased Israeli ad-technology firm Kidoz Ltd. for $20 million in shares; it rebranded as Kidoz Inc., with Williams continuing as Executive Chairman.
Awards and memberships
Mr. Williams was honored with the DigiBC Lifetime Achievement award in British Columbia for his groundbreaking contributions to the Canadian video game sector. In 1982, his firm, Sydney Development Corp., launched Evolution, recognized as the first computer game featuring multiple levels, developed by Don Mattrick and Jeff Sembers. The company further solidified Canada's role in the international gaming market with successful titles such as Quest for Tires and Damn Busters, which led to Williams being dubbed the "Godfather" of BC's gaming community. During his acceptance remarks, he encouraged business founders to "persist and have confidence in yourself."
Additionally, Williams was profiled in David Thomas's 1983 book Knights of the New Technology: The Inside Story of Canada's Computer Elite.